Jonathan Penner

Jonathan Lindsay Penner (born March 5, 1962) is an American actor, screenwriter, television personality, and film producer best known for his supporting roles in films like The Last Supper (1995) and Down Periscope (1996), his lead role in the Showtime series Rude Awakening (1998–2001), and his three appearances as a contestant on the CBS reality competition series Survivor.

Penner was born in New York City and raised in a Jewish family; he later relocated to Los Angeles, where he established his career in entertainment. Early in his professional life, he co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in the short film Down on the Waterfront (1993), which earned him and his then-future wife, director Stacy Title, an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film in 1994. His film credits also include appearances in Old School (2003) and The Good Humor Man (2005), while on television, he guest-starred on shows such as Seinfeld, The Nanny, and NYPD Blue. As a writer and producer, Penner contributed to projects like the television pilot The Lone Ranger (2003), which he co-wrote with Title.

Penner's visibility surged through his participation in Survivor, where he competed in the show's 13th season, Survivor: Cook Islands (2006), finishing in 7th place; the 16th season, Survivor: Micronesia (2008), from which he was medically evacuated in 15th place due to a knee injury; and the 25th season, Survivor: Philippines (2012), where he again placed 7th after being voted out. His candid personality, strategic gameplay, and memorable moments—such as leading a mutiny in Cook Islands and navigating alliances in Philippines—made him a fan favorite and one of the series' most influential contestants.

In his personal life, Penner was married to filmmaker Stacy Title from 1992 until her death on January 11, 2021, at age 56 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); the couple collaborated professionally and shared two children, son Cooper (born 1995) and daughter Ava/Ellis (born 1999). Following Title's diagnosis in 2017, Penner became her primary caregiver and advocated for ALS awareness, including through CBS public service announcements. As of 2025, Penner continues to work in theater, notably starring as Prospero in The Tempest at Shakespeare at the Castle, a production of the University of Mount Union, in summer 2025.